Passing the Flame
by A Flaming Moon
Summary: What happens when Hiei finds a young girl who is exactly like him in all ways? Including the fact that she has a Jagan and a Darkness Flame Dragon? This is Hiei's story of the hard training, but, can this fire demon fall in love with another?
1. Chapter 1

"Passing the Flame"

As much as I wished I did own him and Kurama, I do not, but I do own Yuumei and Ankoku.

_Summary – Hiei finds a fire demon in Human World who is not that much different from him, except that she can control her dragon. This is Hiei's story of intense training he had to go through to master his own dragon and how he came across an unknown love…_

**Chapter 1**

Hiei walked, well, jumped from light post to light post through the streets of Human World. It was night, of course, and the air was cold and fresh in his nostrils. He was alone, or well, he thought he was until he turned to the direction of the park.

There he saw a young girl, no older than he was, with long black hair with two white strips of hair that bordered her face. Her black hair was pulled up in a loose bun that fell to her shoulders. A white headband covered her forehead, and blocked out what was underneath from his demon eyes. Two metal cuffs enslaved her wrists and ankles. But what really caught her was the dragon floating around her. She smiled as it did so, revealing a pair of large fangs. The Dragon was a Darkness Flame Dragon, like the one he possessed.

"Ankoku," she whispered, instantly dropping the smile on her face. She gently nodded towards Hiei, who gasped only just, surprised to see that she could see her. The dragon disappeared even from his eyes, and suddenly appeared behind him, and clipped him by the back of his shirt, and flew over to the girl. No matter how hard Hiei struggled, or whacked him with his sword, he could not get down. The dragon landed in front of the girl, who gazed at him with glaring burgundy eyes, like his own. "Why were you spying on me?" she growled, revealing that pair of fangs.

"Feh," Hiei said, turning his gaze from her for a second, "Merely passing by." He then turned to face her with his own burgundy eyes, "Why the hell were you performing a Dragon of the Darkness Flame technique in Human World?" The girl smiled only just gently, and turned to the dragon.

"You can put him down. Shrimp here was only curious to possess his-," she stopped dead way, looking at Hiei's bandaged right arm. Her eyes were wide in shock. "You already have your own Darkness Flame Dragon," she gaped. Hiei nodded sharply. "But you can't control yours like I can."

"How much do you want to bet, _girl_?" he snapped back. The girl in front of him closed her eyes with a slight smile. She was thinking of something Hiei didn't like. She began to laugh. "What?"

"Merely the fact that you can't control your dragon. I can see it in your eyes." Hiei took a step back and found himself leaning against the dragon. Hiei decided to scare the girl. He ran as fast as he could, so human eyes couldn't see him, and ran behind her. She was already facing him. "You possess speed too, huh?" she asked, her eyes wise and all-knowing, yet, they were calculating something, like Kurama's.

Suddenly, she launched forward, sword in hand. Hiei brought his out and fought back. He was amazed by how clean and swift her moves were. He had never faced a fighter like this before. Not even Makuro was this clean and processional. The girl reached out and clipped the collar of Hiei's shirt, and he backed off, placing his hand on the shallow cut on his shoulder. "Yuumei, that should be enough for one night," the dragon's thunderous voice boomed. That got Hiei to step back.

"Your dragon is a speaker?" he gaped, his eyes wide.

"Yours is too, if you open up your ears. Once you learn to control him, you'll find you can speak to him as if you were speaking to Lord Koenma himself."

"Feh, I _can_ control my dragon," Hiei snapped, sheathing his sword.

"I can see that," The girl supposedly named Yuumei said with a slight smile. "That is why he is bandaged and locked inside your arm."

"A fight then?" Hiei asked. Yuumei chuckled slightly.

"Name your place and when, Shrimp," she said a smile still pulling on her lips. "And you name."

"Here, two days time, and why would you care?" he snapped. The girl's head jerked slightly, her eyes meeting his. Soon, she finally shrugged her shoulders.

"Just curious," she finally said. Hiei jumped away, only saying his voice for he knew, for some odd and strange reason, she would know. "Hiei." He leaped away to find a tree far away to rest in for the rest of the night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 **

The next morning, Hiei ran over to talk to Kurama. Maybe he knew something about this Yuumei person. _Who the hell does she think she is_? He snapped in his thoughts. _Why does she think she can tell me I cannot control my dragon_? He rounded the corner, knowing that he would be at Kurama's soon. _Why was she right_? He stopped at Kurama's front door and knocked, hoping, just hoping that Kurama would answer. He was lucky today.

"Hiei?" Kurama asked.

"Need to talk to you," Hiei said rudely. Kurama looked at him with those piercing green eyes, the same ones that Yuumei had. "Now," he sneered. Kurama put his two hands up in front of him to back off.

"Come in. Mother is out for the day." Without saying anything, Hiei walked in, and turned to face Kurama. "Do you want something to drink?"

"No," he sneered.

"What is his problem, Kurama?" asked a voice all too familiar to Hiei. The butt-ugly tall idiot that Hiei loathed more than Yusuke walked down the stairs. It was the tall, orange haired Kuwabara. He saw Hiei's dark glare and took a step back.

"Have you heard of a Darkness Dragon holder by the name of Yuumei?" he asked. Kuwabara chuckled. "What do you want, pig-boy?" Hiei snapped. Kuwabara still laughed. "You better shut up our the next thing you'll be looking at is me from hell."

"Hiei is having _girl_ problems?" He laughed. "I never knew that!" Hiei growled, placing his hand on the hilt of his sword. Kurama placed a restraining hand on his shoulder.

"No now, Hiei," he said. Kurama walked swiftly over to his couch and sat down. Hiei sat on the top of the chair in front of him. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything," he growled. Kurama's eyebrows raised. "Not like that you fool," he growled. "I have a dragon battle in tomorrow." That got Kuwabara's attention, as well as Kurama's. Hiei sighed as the ugly bastard sat next to Kurama.

"A battle with your Darkness Dragon?" Kuwabara asked. He turned to Kurama. "I thought Hiei couldn't control his dragon of the darkness flame." Hiei shut his eyes and restrained himself with all of his might not to run him through with his sword.

"He can't," _him too_, Hiei thought in his mind. "Why would you agree to a battle?"

"I am the one who made it up!" Hiei snapped. Kurama crossed his arms over his chest and thought for a minute before sighing. "What? Do you think I can't do this?"

"No. I think you can't control your Dragon. Yuumei can, and she will kill you."

"So you do know her then?" Kuwabara said, completely shocked. Hiei rolled his eyes.

"We have met in the pass," Kurama said, his eyes still downcast. "She is nearly as cut-throated as Hiei if not more." Hiei could see Kuwabara shudder slightly, and he smiled evilly.

"Scared?" He asked. Kuwabara chuckled.

"Not likely."

"Feh," Hiei said, turning back to Kurama. "So what _do_ you know about her and her dragon?"

"Ankoku has a link between her, and that it the Jagan that lies behind a white bandana on her forehead." _So that is what lies behind it!_ "Blind her, and the dragon returns." Hiei nodded, taking this in. The fox demon Youko could be helpful at times. "Yuumei is a different story though. She always keeps her Jagan closed, and she rarely reveals it. She can speak with Ankoku with her mind, so watch out. Ankoku is much her slave as your dragon is to you."

"Is that all?" he asked impatiently.

"I am afraid so. Where are you fighting?" Hiei was gone before he could answer that question. Out the door into a solitary place in Demon World to process the information he had just received from Kurama.


	3. Chapter 3

**As much as I love this song by **_**Myra **_**I do not own this song or the lyrics.**

**Chapter 3**

The next day after Hiei found out about Yuumei from Kurama, Hiei returned from Demon World and entered the park where he would be fighting Yuumei. It was still day, and Hiei wanted to get his bearings out the landscape before he fought. He always did that.

When he arrived, he found a horde of those worthless humans, gathered around a stage, where a young girl danced on stage, a microphone attached to her head. Her voice echoed out of the large speakers on either side of the stage. She was a skinny woman in a black spaghetti strapped dress, with a black see through shawl that draped her shoulders. Her black hair was placed in a curly bun at the top of her head. Two white strands of hair grazed the side of her face as she moved. Her eyes were burgundy.

Yuumei was _singing_.

"What the hell?" he asked himself as he watched her. A black dragon tattoo went down her right arm. Ankoku was being held dormant inside of her. "Why is she _singing_?" he gaped. He sat in a tree and watched as she moved. She didn't seem to notice him. She looked _happy_ doing it.

She finished up her last song with a bow, and when the crowd cheered for more, music started up. It sounded cheerful and happy. Hiei scowled.

"Miracles happen, miracles happen  
You showed me faith is not blind  
I don't need wings to help me fly  
Miracles happen, miracles happen

I can't imagine living my life without you now  
Not ever having you around  
We found our way out  
(on you I can depend)  
Don't have to look back to realize how far we've come  
There are million reasons  
I'm looking up  
I don't want this to end

Nothing  
Nothing should ever bring you down  
Knowing what goes around will come around

You showed me faith is not blind  
I don't need wings to help me fly  
Miracles happen, once in a while  
When you believe  
(miracles happen)  
You showed me dreams come to life  
That taking a chance on us was right  
All things will come with a little time  
When You believe

There is no question we found the missing pieces  
Our picture is completed  
It's fallen into place  
(it's fallen into place)  
This is our moment, you and I are looking up  
Someone is watching over us  
Keeping me close  
Closer to you everyday

Nowhere  
Nowhere on earth I'd rather be  
No one can take this away from you and me

You showed me faith is not blind  
I don't need wings to help me fly  
Miracles happen, once in a while  
When you believe  
(miracles happen)  
You showed me dreams come to life  
That taking a chance on us was right  
All things will come with a little time  
When You believe

When you believe  
The soul is a shining light  
When you believe  
The heart has the will to fight  
You can do anything, don't be afraid  
We're gonna find our way

You showed me faith is not blind  
I don't need wings to help me fly  
Miracles happen, once in a while  
When you believe  
(miracles happen)  
You showed me dreams come to life  
That taking a chance on us was right  
All things will come with a little time  
When You believe"

She again finished with a bow and went back stage. The crowd placed small change into a bucket in front of the stage, and when they all dispersed, she appeared, still in the dress, and took the bucket backstage. She spared one glare at Hiei before going back behind the stage. Hiei rolled his eyes and waited for the cover of darkness for the battle to begin.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

When the cover of darkness came around, Hiei jumped down from the trees. He looked around, waiting for Yuumei to come out from the darkness. He waited about half an hour, to find her emerge from the shadows. "Did you enjoy the performance, stalker?" her hauntingly cold and icy voice asked. Hiei turned around and saw her walk towards him with Ankoku swirling around her. His movements lifted up her hair, and it was much longer than it was before. It went down to her thighs now. She had apparently let loose the bun she had wore two days before.

She was wearing an old fashioned human kimono. The top was a beige color, with the undershirt being pale burgundy, like her eyes. It was attached by the fold of burgundy cloth against her chest, with held a tear-drop of an ice maiden on it. Her sword had been sharpened, and it looked deadly.

"No," he growled back, trying to mimic the coldness in her voice. He found that he couldn't. He found that her voice was naturally cold, and he actually _liked _it. "Are you ready?"

"Of course, but, where is your dragon?" she asked with a sneer, her burgundy eyes penetrating his, looking for some form of weakness. Hiei had no weakness. Ankoku growled behind her, and she shot a glance at him. He instantly back down. _Must have spoken to him in her mind_,he thought, and confirmed it. It was what Kurama had said.

"You will see him soon enough," he said, looking straight into her cold eyes. She smiled as he unwrapped the bandage that covered the dragon burn on his arm.

"Then let us begin," she said, raising her hand, pointing to Hiei. "Go, Ankoku!" she yelled into the air, as the dragon stormed forward. Hiei jumped out of his way, and landed not any more than twenty feet in front of Yuumei. He held his wrist as he summoned his dragon.

"_Dragon of the Darkness Flame_," he yelled into the night. As the black and purple flamed dragon left his body, he could feel the energy draining from him. Her eyes flew open as she saw the dragon. Her voice spoke to him in his head, and he was amazed her conscious was so open to him. This was much more open than Makuro's voice. _**You possess Kei, Hiei, the most powerful Darkness Dragon**_. She jumped out of the way and yelled at Ankoku to attack. The identical Dragons of Flame clashed together. _**I never knew that he lived.**_

_**Then why do you care?**_Hiei barked in his mind. _**I thought you were a cut-throat like me?**_

_**I am now, but I never started out that way**_. She gasped slightly as Ankoku was knocked backwards to the ground. It was as if the breath was knocked out of her. _**I was born as a peasant, and soon, I was off into the slave market by the age of three. My parents were murdered by a bunch of thieves, who raped me not long after. I found out that they were prophets, creatures I despised the most of all. They told me things that happened soon after, and they called themselves the Prophet Five, which I soon murdered four of. One of them ran away at the sight of me murdering his friends. Soon after, I was captured again, and once again raped, just as they had said. When I turned 13, I ran away from a slave market, and jumped off a cliff**_, _**hoping to die.**_

_**There is nothing left for me, so I should die myself**_. Hiei growled in his mind, and jumped out of the way as Ankoku raged toward him and his dragon. More and more of his energy ran from his body, entering the body of his Darkness Dragon.

_**There is always life ahead of anyone,**_ her voice said in his mind.

_**Why would you care**_? He snapped.

_**I have been there. Right when I jumped, the dragon Ankoku rescued me from a painful death, which is what I wanted. Soon after, he taught me how to control him and my powers he and I shared, and then we came to Human World together. You and Kei could do the same thing as we did.**_ Her eyes looked at him; no where near as cold as they had been. She looked at him straight trough his eyes and she could see that anymore of his dragon out of his body would kill him. _**Return your dragon to your body, and we can say you won.**_

_**That is called cowardice**_, he growled in his mind, and put a little more of what scraps of energy he had left into his dragon.

_**No, it is called a deal. I will teach you how to train Kei, and then we can battle, only if you call Kei off.**_

_**How do you know him?**_

_**I can speak to Ankoku with my mind, just like you can with Kei. Just let me try. You'll die either way. You'll lose when you have mastered Kei, or you can die right here and now with what little energy you have left, and I can wait for the next stubborn headed guy who comes along with him. Your choice.**_

She was right, and Hiei knew it. He sighed, and relinquished his Dragon from the air. When he turned to face Yuumei, she was gone. She was actually right next to him, he noticed, and he could feel her touch on his shoulder. She was reading his past and mind, just like he found he could do to her. Soon after she finished with his past, he fell into unconsciousness.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Hiei awoke in a small room, its walls pure black. The ceiling had a night mural with a full moon, the tops of trees, and stars. Along the walls, were framed pieces of paper. The lights in the room, which were the stars actually, were dimmed slightly.

"You're awake," said a voice. He looked next to him, and saw Yuumei leaning against the wall gong through a binder of what looked like drawings. She had her hair partially down, it being once again up in that bun he had seen her in the first day. She was wearing a black spaghetti strapped shirt that fit close to her features. She had black see through gauntlets on that ran from the middle of her arm above her elbow, and V_ed_ off on the top of her hand. She also wore a black skirt that went to the middle of her thighs, and the same black material as her gauntlets as tights. Black metal thatched boots were on her feet. The tattoo of Ankoku was hidden only slightly underneath the material. He also noticed something new. The tail of the dragon was on her left foot, instead of her shoulder like his. "What are you staring at?" she growled, baring her fangs in a sly smile.

"Nothing," Hiei growled. "How long have I been out?"

"A year and a half."

"What?!" Hiei barked, trying to jump up, but found himself too weak to. Yuumei burst into laughter.

"Got you! Merely seven hours," she said with a smile. "You should have seen your face. It was priceless!" Hiei turned his back to her, and blushed slightly. "Are you Ok?"

"Fine," he barked. He listened carefully to hear the movement of clothes. She would surely walk over and check on him. His temperature or the movement of his muscles like Kurama did. But there was none. He turned back to face her, and she had her nose back in a binder.

"What?" she asked, looking up, "Do you want me to check on you as if I was your mother?"

"No," he said simply. "I thought you would though."

"You said you were fine. I trust your word," she said with a soft voice, going back to the binder. She turned the page and began to lip sync some words off of the page.

"What are you doing?" he asked. She didn't look up, but she did smile.

"Going over lyrics."

"For what?" he asked. Then he remembered the singing she had done. He found that when she sang, her voice wasn't cold and harsh, but warm and sweet and happy. She seemed like a different person when she was singing. Now she looked up to meet his eye.

"I have a competition in four weeks for singing. I am practicing my lyrics as you recover enough strength to get up off the bed," she said with a smile. He seemed taken back by the sheer force in her words, but is wasn't cruelty force like he had heard her speak with before, but something kind and gentle. _I don't care_, _he_ lied to himself. He knew it, yet he wouldn't admit it.

"I thought you said you trusted my word?" he said, seeing if he could confuse her.

"What?" she asked, looking up from the binder.

"You said that you were waiting for me to gather my energy to get off of the bed. You said you trusted my word when I said I was fine. You liar," he growled, baring fangs at her. He tried to look angry, but she didn't see any.

"If you _did_ have enough energy, you would have gotten up off of it a long time ago," she said with a sly smile before lip-syncing more lyrics. Hiei scowled because he knew she was right. "I have food downstairs when you are ready, Hiei," she said, closing the binder and getting up off of the floor, "in the fridge and the pantry. Help yourself." She began to walk out of the room.

"Where the hell are you going?" he barked after her. She turned to face him, her eyes looking all knowing and wise. When she spoke, her voice was warm, yet it was full of power and the knowledge that her eyes shown.

"The first step to mastering our dragon's power is to meditate," and at that, she walk out of the room, quietly shutting the door behind her. Her voice echoed in his mind as they touched consciousness, like they did back in the park. _**I am sorry about your mother and your sister, Yukina. I hope she does find you.**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

When Hiei was able to walk off the bed, he studied the framed pieces of paper on the walls. He saw that they were music lyrics, all signed by the artist. There were so many, and even a couple signed by her. He pushed them to the back of his mind and opened up the door.

To the left was a dead end, with a small ivy plant crawling up the wall from its black pot on the ground. To the right was the stairs, which he went down. A dragon was carved on the brown wood railing, which he noticed was the same one that represented Ankoku. It was different from his own dragon design.

He followed the hallway that led from the stairs and opened up a door at the end of the hallway, to find himself in the kitchen. It was a relatively large kitchen, bigger than Kurama's anyway, with black marble counter tops and brown wooden cabinets. He found the silver and black fridge and opened it up, to find an assortment of meats, fruits, vegetables, and drinks. He pulled out some red looking meat, and nibbled on the edge. It was actually pretty good. He took a handful and closed the door. He walked out of the kitchen and found himself looking out a huge glass wall.

It revealed rolling hills, with trees of all sorts at the top of some of them, which surrounded the house. In the center was a small pond with a waterfall, and next to it, was Yuumei. She was sitting down, her face serene and calm, her hands resting on her knees, which were folded. Around her, in a circle, was Ankoku, who looked asleep. She looked so peaceful, so gentle. She didn't look as cut-throated as Hiei, except in battle.

He found the handle and went outside quietly. Neither one of them moved at the noise as the door closed with a loud _snap_. He walked out, and felt the sun's rays warm his face. He continued to walk until he was right in front of Yuumei. She didn't move, nor speak. He sat down in front of her, finishing up the rest of the meat, and mimicked what she was doing. Once his eyes were closed, he found he had no idea what to do.

"What are you doing?" asked a voice. Hiei opened her eyes and saw Yuumei looking back at him, her eyes confused, but a smile pulled at her lips. She looked over his formation, and then laughed as he jumped backwards. He knew he could see her.

"What the hell are you doing?" he asked from a good distance. Ankoku shook and then opened its mouth in a mighty yawn.

"I told you that I was mediating. You don't trust my word?" she asked, tilting her head. Hiei shook his head.

"Not yet," he sneered.

"You trust _his_ word?" Ankoku asked, lifting his head. He turned to his master, who looked down at him with those cold eyes.

"Yes," she growled, but when she turned back to him, her eyes were cold once again. "I do. Do you want to try, Hiei?" she asked. He looked at her, trying to see what she was playing at, but couldn't find any. She was keeping her part of the deal. She was helping him master his dragon. He nodded slightly. "Good, well, come sit by me." He was a little reluctant to do that, but he did, sitting where he sat before and sighed. "Now, find a comfortable position," she moved her legs back in and rested her hands back on her knees. Hiei mimicked her, and found that he felt different this time than last time. "close your eyes and take deep breaths. Focus on serenity before power."

That made no sense to him, but he tried it. He closed his eyes and forced his breathing to long, soothing, and constant paced breathing. The focusing part he couldn't get. Then he thought of something.

He mimicked her expression, and found power boiling within him. As he focused on that, it died away, and he was launched backwards about ten feet. He sighed and when he opened his eyes back up, he saw Yuumei looking down on him with a smile on her face. "You focused on the power than the serenity," she said, sitting down next to him.

"What does that mean?" he asked, rubbing his head where he had hit the hardest.

"Your dragon feeds off your energy. If you focus on your serenity, you gain energy. You should have felt a boost of power, and then a gradual build. When you focus on the power building up, your dragon goes dominant, and fights you for the power and energy, causing the punch where you go flying backwards, as you just experienced. It is rule number 6. Don't push your dragon, and it won't push you back," she said with a smile again. Thinking about what she just said, he found she was right. He sighed, and sat down again, and closed his eyes. He could feel her warm burgundy gaze on him, and he ignored it. He mimicked her expression, and felt the power build within her. He tried not to focus on that, but on serenity, on Yuumei. How she looked when she meditated. He could feel more and more power build, and then suddenly, it was gone. He sighed, and opened his eyes, to find something shocking…


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7 **

In front of him, he could see Yuumei, who was levitating off of the ground, yet, he was eye level with her. Ankoku was circling below her at immense speed. A black and white light pursed from the tear drop necklace that hung around her neck. It was the same one that was on her kimono belt the first day they met. Then a black and purple light pursed below him.

He looked down and saw his dragon there, circling with immense speed. He noticed he was at least ten feet off the ground. _What the hell_? And at the thought of that, the dragon disappeared, and back into the his bare right arm. Yuumei opened her eyes slowly and calmly. "Don't be afraid, Hiei."

"What the hell?" he yelled, falling to the ground with a loud thump. Yuumei smiled, and jumped down from Ankoku. She gracefully landed on her feet and came right next to him. Ankoku was right next to her. "What the hell just happened?"

"It is called _associated power_, Hiei. When you questioned your powers connected with Kei, he got scared, surprisingly, and ducked down," she took his right arm and gently stroked the tattoo on his arm. Her touch was soft and warm, whether if it was for the dragon or for him he didn't know. Her eyes were closed, and a small smile pulled at her lips. "Call him back," she said, turning back to him. Her eyes weren't cold, but they had a small hint to it.

"What?"

"Call him back out and let's try this again. We are wasting daylight hours doing this." She stood back, and Ankoku began to circle her again. She lifted into the air, as if standing on some invisible platform. "The power between you is shared. When we battled, you kept taking strength from your dragon, when you thought you were giving it _to_ him. You were fighting for the energy, which is the wrong thing to do."

"How do you do that?" he asked. She looked down on him with her burgundy eyes.

"Trust your dragon, rule number 7. Trust your dragon and it will trust you back. Confide in your dragon, trust it with your life, and you will be able to life a lot longer than if there was no trust at all."

"You sound like a prophet," Hiei snapped, his eyes cold. He meant it, for once. He hated prophets. They had once tried to control his destiny as a child, but, he had killed them. Yuumei could see the anger in his eyes, and she looked up. The sunlight was fading. She sighed and jumped down, heading back towards the house.

"We lost all of our daylight to train for today Hiei," she said with a sigh again. She didn't turn to face him. "I heard about what happened with the one prophet and the jewel from your mother. I didn't mean to sound like one at all. All I am trying to do it help." She raised her hand slightly, as if waving, and Ankoku, with a small grunt of protest, flew in and formed the dragon tattoo on her right arm. "I will see you in the morning. Sleep where you woke up."

She entered the building, not even turning to face him, and left his sight. They way she moved wasn't as graceful as it once was, and he remembered what she had told him when they fought: _**My parents were murdered by a bunch of thieves, who raped me not long after. I found out that they were prophets, creatures I despised the most of all. They told me things that happened soon after, and they called themselves the Prophet Five, which I soon murdered four of. One of them ran away at the sight of me murdering his friends. Soon after, I was captured again, and once again raped, just as they had said.**_

Something boiled within him. It wasn't hatred or rage, or any of the normal feeling he usually feels when it came to something like a girl and her feelings. Yuumei was different from other girls he had met; different from the skirted girls, different from the ones who wore all of this black makeup, different form Makuro herself. She was her own type, and Hiei actually felt _guilty_ for what he had said. He looked at his arm, which began to shake. He gently placed his hand on the tattoo and stroked it gently like Yuumei had done. The shaking turned from violent rattles to soothing purrs. A large booming voice entered his mind.

**I am Kei, Dragon Leader of the Darkness Flame. You are my master, Hiei. Trust what Yuumei says. She is smart, and you might just like her. **Hiei heard the voice and looked at the tattoo. Its head was facing up towards him. **You **_**did**_** startle me there. You will learn all ten Dragon Rules, and then, we will be able to work as well as Ankoku the Wise and Yuumei. **

How do you know all about this? He asked. He had used the dragon before in many battles before, and it never had talked to him like this before.

**You have used me in many battles Hiei, and you also helped Makuro with her shackles. Do the same for Yuumei. She is a smart girl, and she is perfect for you.**

Shut-up, Dragon, Hiei snapped in her mind, standing up. A burning sensation and then a chuckle went in his arm and mind.

**Just call me Kei, Hiei, and you will find I will cooperate more. Now, go to bed and regain some strength.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8 **

The next three weeks of difficult training put Hiei into a cursing frenzy. He kept damning her to hell over and over again, and she always just smiled at him. But it wasn't a true smile. It wasn't the real warm one she had shown him when they were back in the room. This was a weak and painful smile, and it hurt him to look at it, even though he didn't know why.

"Why in the hell are we doing this?" he snapped at her. He had to carry her, as she read a large binder of lyrics, as he ran as fast as he could for at least half an hour, if not more, around the training area.

"Rule number 3, Hiei. If you want to control him, you must be physically strong enough to handle the power surging from Kei. Faster!" she barked, as she went back to reading and lip syncing. Hiei growled, but followed as she ordered.

Next, he had to be able to meditate on fire coals as well as needles. "Don't tell me that this is another one of your _rules_." She smiled at him, and jumped off her own burning embers.

"Yes, actually," she said, her eyes showing a little bit of her coldness, "Rule Number 4. You must be emotionally able to hold the power."

"What does sticking needles in my ass have to do with _emotional_ power?" Yuumei looked as if she was about to slap him hard across the face, but she thought better of it. She sighed, and launched a powerful sieve at least 100 feet away square into the center of the tree trunk. She did it all with her eyes closed. Hiei could not have done that 40 feet away with his eyes _open_.

"You must be able to hold the pain in the back of your mind. Training to do that strengthens your mind, which helps you be able to speak to your dragon without the power causing your brain to explode, and I mean that quite literally, Hiei." He had shut up after that. She told him all ten rules of Dragons during those three weeks. One was meditating to create and share power, Two was to release the dragon, giving it time to breathe properly and to gain missing strength, Three was to, of course, train the body to become physically strong enough to hold the power of a dragon, Four was to become _emotionally_ strong enough, Five was for your dragon to be both physically and emotionally to handle the stress of being used for battle, Six was to not push your dragon, and it will not push back, as Hiei had so demonstrated his first day of training. He was still sore from that blast. She had skipped seven for some reason, and Hiei didn't bother her about that. He was too busy sitting on embers or running with her on his back to think about that. Eight was to listen to the dragon. If Kei had sensed something, and believed something was wrong, it was Hiei's job to listen and trust the dragon's word. She also kept nine a secret, and Hiei, once again, neglected to mention it. Ten, she said, was the most important rule: to not overuse the dragon's power. Using the power more than you should would kill the dragon.

Yuumei quizzed him periodically on the rules, and he occasionally got them wrong, and he would have to do something that had to go with the rule he had missed.

"Damn you!" he yelled as he felt the burning embers and needles poke at his backside. Yuumei laughed as she watched him try to find a position where it didn't hurt as bad. "Bitch! Hell bringer! Prophet! How long do I have to do this?!" he yelled. The smile dropped instantly on her face, and then she left, saying the one thing he did not want to hear.

"All night, Hiei," she said, walking back into the house, and locking the door behind her. Hiei sighed and tried to concentrate on what he had to do. _Bitch! Hell bringer! Prophet! Bitch! Hell bringer! Prophet! Bitch! Hell bringer! Prophet!_ H continued to scream in his mind until the sun began to rise. When she opened the door, he was inside, eating more of that meat, and then in bed.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

The next morning, Hiei woke up early. It wasn't Kei that had woken him up, but a dream. It was about death and murder, just how he liked it, but it was different than other dreams he had. This one was actually a nightmare.

It was like he was a ghost, transported into the past. He was in a small village, each hut covered in green vines of different fruits. It was happy, bustling with life and people. There was a scream in the night, and Hiei dove down into a hut. Inside, there was an ice apparition, giving birth. A man was hovered over her, with long black hair that was tied in a soft ponytail at his neck. Soon, Hiei heard crying, and the nurse held a baby to the Ice apparition, who smiled. "It is a girl," she said.

The ice apparition began to smile, and she positioned herself leaning against the male. "She is beautiful, Aysu," said the male.

"She sure is, Hadyn," she said. "What should we name her?" Hadyn thought for a minute, and then smiled. Hadyn thought for a minute, and then smiled.

"Yuumei," he said with a smile. He kissed Aysu's forehead, and then his daughter's. "Yuumei, the fire apparition," he said. Hiei gasped and watched as her life fast forwarded before his very eyes. It was like that thing that Kurama had. A TV. Now, Hiei guessed that it was three years in the future. He could see Yuumei playing in the courtyard. Her hair went to her shoulders, and the white strips that bordered her face went to about her lips. She was giggling, as she smiled at her parents.

Then it all happened really fast.

Raiders filled the village, and one picked up the young Yuumei and slaughtered her parents with a mortal blade. Blood filled the air, and Hiei followed the raiders with a raged look, even though they couldn't see him. They went to a cave, where Yuumei was laid down and a Jagan Eye was placed on her forehead. Her screams filled the air. Not long after, merely a couple hours, she was raped.

She was thrown into a cell with a bag over her head with not a single window or anything. All she had to breathe was the small slot in the door where food was rushed out of, even though she couldn't eat. She grew skinnier and skinnier, and more afraid of every little noise as the man who had captured her came in and whispered about more rape into the hole in her bag where her ear would be, and she trembled with each word that came out of that bastard's mouth.

Again, life fast forward about two years, where they had released her from the cell and had trained her to fight. The only way they had control of her was through the Jagan. One man also had one, who would use it if she ever tried to run away. Every time the eye turned black, Yuumei would scream in pain.

Then it fast forwarded about another six or so years, where Yuumei began to become a teenager. Her hair went to about the arch of her back, and the white that bordered her face lie gently on top of her shoulders. She had three men scattered below her, covered in blood. Their blood. This is when she said she rebelled. The man's Jagan was pure black, but Yuumei kept forward, and slaughtered him. She looked around, as if she was looking for the last man, the one who had captured her, but didn't find him. She took the tear drop jewel from the man she had just slaughtered and walked off.

Soon after, what looked like merely only a couple of months, she was captured again, and once again raped. After that, she ran, with her two sieves which she held in her shoes, and jumped off the cliff. Right when she did, Ankoku flew under her and saved her, just like she had told him. He could hear them talk, and it was the exact same thing she had told him. _**There is always life ahead of anyone…**_

It was right after that he woke up.

**Did you have a nice dream, Hiei?** Kei asked. Hiei placed his hand to his head and closed his eyes, trying to ignore the painful headache.

What the hell was that all about, Kei?

**That was Yuumei's life you just saw, Fireboy. I asked Ankoku to give it to me through memory, and he did. Yuumei doesn't know, but that should give you a tip on why she is trying to help you, and why she reacted so badly yesterday when you insulted her. **

I had no idea… he whispered to himself, but Kei heard him

**Now you do. Be nice to the girl, just as if she was your dragon.**

She isn't my dragon, Kei. Just a -, he cut off. What was she? A teacher? No. A friend? Hell no.

**What Hiei? A girlfriend?** Kei mocked in his mind. A loud booming chuckle filled his head. Hiei smacked the head of the tattoo. **What the hell?**

You are just as bad as that oaf Kuwabara.

**At least Kuwabara listens to Yukina, Hiei, ** and at that, Kei's voice lifted from Hiei's mind. He was right though. That oaf did listen. Hiei was tempted to do the same to Yuumei, for some odd strange reason.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

He went downstairs to see Yuumei back out where she was the day before, meditating again. Tears ran down her face, and the early sunrise reflected those tears. She looked so sad out there. Her breathing, by the way her shoulders moved, came in as gasps, more than the sweet motion she had performed yesterday.

Ankoku wasn't anywhere, except locked away in her arm. She looked up, and Hiei backed away where he could still see her, but she couldn't see him. When she turned to the direction he as in, she shook her head and went to the edge of the pond. Her voice was loud and clear, yet sad. She began to sing again, but this one was slow and upsetting, unlike the warm and fast song she sang in the park. She kept gazing into the pond as she did.

now Listen little child  
there will come a day  
when you will be able  
able to say  
never mind the pain or the aggravation  
you know there's a better way for you and me to be

Look for the rainbow in every storm  
fly like an angel  
heaven sent to me

Goodbye My Friend  
( I know you're gone you said you're gone but I can still feel you here)  
It's not the end  
(you gotta keep it strong before the pain turns into fear)

So glad we made it  
time will never change it no no no 

no no no no

Just a little girl  
big imagination  
never letting no one take it away  
went into the world (into the world)   
What a revelation  
she found there's a better way for you and me to be

Look for the rainbow in every storm  
find out for certain  
love is gonna be there for you  
you'll always be someone's baby

Goodbye My Friend  
(I know you're gone you said you're gone but I can still feel you here)  
It's not the end  
(you gotta keep strong before the pain turns into fear)

So glad we made it time will never change it no no no

no no no no

the times when we would play about  
the way we used to scream and shout  
never dreamt you'd go your own sweet way

look for the rainbow in every storm  
find out for certain  
love is gonna be there for you  
you'll always be someone's baby

Goodbye my friend  
(I know you're gone you said you're gone but I can still feel you here)  
It's not The end  
(you Gotta keep it strong before the pain turns into fear)

So glad we made it  
time will never never ever change it

Her voice was so sad, and she moved with grace of loss. When she sang, tears fell down her face, and she would always stroke the tattoo on her arm. Also, she would gaze into the pond at times, and smile here and there, but as the lyrics strolled around, she would began to cry again, and the tears would continue to fall down her face.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Hiei gathered enough strength, and pushed himself outside. Yuumei had her face in her knees, and she continued to cry. Hiei moved as quietly as possible, and sat next to her.

"What? I thought you hated prophets," she snapped, not even looking up at him. She continued to cry, taking in short gasps with a quiver. Hiei sighed, and placed his arm over her shoulders. She stopped crying instantly, "What are you doing?" Sighing again because she didn't look up, Hiei grabbed her wrists and pulled her swiftly and easily into his lap. She gasped slightly as she felt her back press against his chest. "Hiei?" she gasped slightly.

"Hmm?" He whispered, placing his face in her hair. She smelled so _sweet_. He had never noticed that yet. She shuddered, and he wrapped his arms around her. He didn't know why he felt this way about her. He sure had never felt this way about Makuro. Not even close!

"What the hell are you doing?" She asked. He wiped away the tears from her face that he knew that was there. She gasped slightly again as he touched her face so gently. "Ok, I am confused," she said, wiggling around so she could face him. Her eyes, her beautiful burgundy eyes, were completely shocked. "What happened to the cut-throat Hiei I once knew? Who wanted to kill me?"

"Still here," he said silently, looking down at her. She instantly backed away, "What is wrong?"

"You know something that you shouldn't," she snapped, jumping out at a speed so fast, Hiei had a small bit of trouble catching it. She landed right in front of him, just out of arms reach. Her eyes were back to that cold sensation they had when they first met. "What is it? I want to know right now!"

"I don't know what you are talking about," Hiei said matter-of-factly. He also stood up, looking back at her with cold eyes, but his were boiling water compared to her cold icy eyes. She glared down at him, and flung her hand out to the side, where Ankoku pushed himself out of her arm and landed next to her, his blazing fiery head resting compassionately on her shoulder. She smacked him off.

"What did you tell him?" she snapped. The dragon looked as if it shrugged. Yuumei turned her piercing gaze to him, and the dragon took a wearily float backwards. "He knows something he shouldn't. What did you tell _Kei_?" That got Ankoku to stutter. His entire flaming body shook, and his voice rumbled like thunder.

"He asked me for your past," he started out, his black gaze turned away from her.

"And…what? Did you-," she stopped her eyes wide with terror. "No," she whispered. She looked back over to Hiei, who looked away, and then back to her dragon. "Y-y-y-you didn't!" She snapped at him, backing away from both of them. Bother her dragon and her apprentice. Hiei's eyes were downcast.

"Kei gave it to me in my sleep last night, Yuumei," Hiei said, looking back up at her. He tried to mimic the warm sensation in her eyes that he had seen only a couple of days ago.

"It has been what, three days, no four, and you have already showed him the template of my past?" she shrieked. More tears began to fall from her face. "Rule number 7, trust your dragon, and it will trust you…" her eyes fell to the ground, her shoulder bunched up in rage and fear, every so often jolting up because of a quivering breath she took. "The hell with that! I am going back to beginning, Ankoku. Before I met Hiei!" she yelled before disappearing from both Hiei and Ankoku's gaze. The fiery dragon turned on Hiei.

"I told you this wasn't right," he snapped.

"Me?" Hiei asked, placing his hand on the hilt of his sword. "I had _nothing_ to do with this!"

_**He means me, Hiei**_, said Kei, as he emerged from Hiei's right arm. _**I didn't think it would cause this much of a reaction in her. You should have told me that it would**_.

"Blame it on me now, just like you always did, Kei! You _never_ thought! Now look what happened? It will take me a long while to find her again!" Ankoku flew off into the air in a blast of purple and black flamed fury. Hiei heard Kei sigh next to him.

_**Get on, Hiei. We better go help him find her.**_ Hiei was a little reluctant to get on the dragon's back, but he did. He crawled on right behind his head and held on to the flaming horns as the dragon took off. "Wouldn't those worthless humans see us?" _** No,**_ Kei boomed. _**I spelled us so that way only demonic eyes could see us**_. Hiei sighed and looked all around, trying to find Yuumei. His two eyes couldn't see her yet, so he opened up his third. He removed the bandana from his forehead and looked about. It looked the same as if it was just his two eyes. He decided to get some more help.

"Kei, take me to Kurama's house. He could help us." The giant dragon bellowed, and turned directions as he turned towards the fox demon's human home. _I hope he will at least… _


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

"You want Kurama to do _what_?!" Kuwabara yelled when Hiei asked of what he needed of Kurama. He placed a finger in his ear to show that it hurt. "Pipsqueak, you can't be serious!"

"You know what, oaf," Hiei snapped, placing his hand on his sword hilt and pulling it out half-way, until Kurama put a strong and restraining arm on his shoulder. Hiei sighed and pushed the blade back in.

"Sure," Kurama said with a sigh. "Kuwabara should help."

"Bastard doesn't even know what she _looks_ like, Kurama," Hiei snapped, glaring at Kuwabara. Kurama though for a moment, sighed, knowing he was right. He nodded for Hiei to show him the way.

"Kuwabara go back home for a while today, I think we have done enough training for now," Kurama sighed, waiting for him to pack his bags. Hiei smirked, and heard Kuwabara "growled", but then nodded when Kurama turned and met his gaze.

"I still can't believe Hiei lost a girl, and the way Kurama described her, a pretty one at that." Hiei was so close to snapping and just chopping his head off right then and there. Kuwabara saw the struggle within her and left quickly.

"So, Hiei," Kurama began when Kuwabara left. Hiei turned to face Kurama, who told him to sit down. "Tell me about training. Is it like I have studied?"

"I don't know," Hiei snapped.

"Did you not get to studying yet?" Kurama pried. Hiei grimaced. He was getting close, actually, and Hiei didn't want him to know the entire truth. Not just yet. Then it hit Hiei. This is how Yuumei felt when she first told him his past, when their consciousnesses were linked perfectly. She didn't want him to know the entire story of her past, but when Kei and Ankoku told her that, she was embarrassed more than hurt! "What is it?" Kurama asked. Hiei was gone before he could answer.

_I am going back to beginning, Ankoku. Before I met Hiei!_ Is what she had yelled at Ankoku before she disappeared. _Back to the Beginning_…he thought as he ran on the street lights as he did when he had first met her. He kept repeating those words over and over in his head until he reached the park, where he stopped instantly. Why?

Yuumei sat in the middle of the park, where they had battled, and her back was facing him. Her head was tilted just slightly, facing towards the ground. "Hiei," she said a voice just loud enough for him to hear. He gasped slightly. She turned to face him. The bandage around her forehead was gone, revealing a Jagan Eye. But it wasn't like his, oh no, hers was pure black, with no iris, but with a silvery white pupil in the center. He had never seen nor heard anything of the sort. But something else is what had made him gasp.

She was covered head to toe in blood…

"Hiei," she whispered before falling, falling, her body going weak and falling towards the ground…falling…Hiei was by her side as fast as he could, and he was able to catch her before any more damage was done to her body.

"What the hell happened to you?" he asked, as he brushed a stray black hair from her face. She winced in pain as she tried to speak.

"_He _came. He is here. You have to run, or he will-," she stopped and screamed in pain. The white iris on her forehead began to turn red, and the redder it turned, the louder she screamed. When she stopped, she was passed out, and the pupil on the Jagan went back to the silvery look it had. A dark and evil laughing filled the forest, and the birds in the trees flew away, fleeing the forthcoming danger.

"Another Jagan holder," it said. It was positively male. Hiei ripped off the bandage covering his own Jagan and looked into the forest, looking for the owner of that haunting cold voice. Looking around in a total 360 circle, Hiei thought, and looked up. He was there, floating on top of a dragon, which dove down, towards him. Hiei jumped out of the way just in time as the Dragon crashed into the ground. The owner jumped off of the dragon, and twisted his arm out to the side, just like Yuumei had done, and the dragon stood next to him. Instead of purple that grazed the fire on Ankoku and Kei, his was focused on red and yellow. "Nice to meet you."

As the moon was revealed from behind the clouds, Hiei gasped, and was glad Ankoku and Kei showed him the vision of Yuumei's past.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Hiei was looking at the last of the Five Prophets. He did not know his name, but it was him. He had seen it in the vision. It was the one who planted the Jagan in Yuumei in the first place, the one who had caused her so much pain during her years if captivity. Hiei growled and took out his sword from its hilt, which he threw to the side. "This will be interesting. Why do you protect my Yuumei?"

"_Your_ Yuumei?" Hiei growled, taking a swift look in her direction. She was still unconscious, leaning against the tree he had left her by. "I don't see your name on it."

"No, but I have left my mark," he said again, clenching his fists. A painful moaning came from behind him, and Hiei saw the Jagan pupil going back to red. The screaming ceased when he unclenched his fists. "I go by the name Genkoru, Hiei."

"You know me?" Hiei snapped, turning from Yuumei to him. Genkoru nodded as if he was the wisest man in the world. Hiei growled, and got ready to pounce on him and run his sword through his heart. **Don't, Hiei! **Kei's voice roared in his mind. **Don't! Kill him and you'll kill Yuumei!**

Then how the hell do I defeat him and _save_ her?Hiei snapped back in his mind, taking a quick glance at Yuumei's still unconscious body.

**Kill Juston, his dragon. That is the only way! The eleventh rule of Dragon Rules, the unwritten rule. If the dragon is murdered, so does the owner, and any attachments the owner made to other people is quickly demolished!** His voice boomed in his mind. Hiei smiled, seeing that his target was much larger. _Just like Yuumei in the training grounds_, he though. He closed his eyes and looked out of Kei's eyes, which was coming from his good throwing arm.

"What are you doing?" Genkoru asked, his cold voice entering Hiei's mind as it was filled with fear. Hiei smiled as he launched the blade as hard as he could.

Perfect shot.

It hit Juston right in the head, but the dragon merely laughed as the blade went straight through and dissolved behind him. "What?" Hiei gasped as he opened up his own eyes. Both dragon and master chuckled.

"Do you really think that a _mortal_ blade can kill my dragon?" Genkoru asked, chuckling. "No, he-," he stopped. A mumble and groan came from behind them, and Hiei turned to see Yuumei waking up. Her burgundy eyes were weak and pained, but she fought it, so many years of harsh training keeping her from dying from the wounds.

"Yuumei?" Hiei gasped before running to her side. She lifted her hand, and he grabbed it, kissing the back of it. The black dragon head that was there a lot of her training was not there. Ankoku was still not there.

"Hiei, help me up," she said, her voice weak, but yet filled with power and strength at the same time. Hiei shook his head.

"Worthless fire brats," Genkoru snapped, pushing his hand forward. Juston roared forward, showing his flaming red teeth as he lunged forward. Hiei turned and clasped Yuumei tight to his chest. He knew it was a vague attempt to help protect her.

But he never felt pain. None.

Hiei opened his eyes and saw Ankoku roaring protectively between his master and Juston. "Hello, flaming Red," Ankoku's voice said hauntingly. "Watch her, Hiei," he ordered. Hiei still held her tight to his chest, and he only tightened his grip on her.

"Hiei…" Yuumei moaned. "Get off, and help me up," she ordered. Her voice was not filled with power, more than it had been before, and he looked down. Her eyes were filled with power, and a dark smile pulled at her lips. Hiei let go and helped her up, like she ordered. "Ankoku!" Her voice yelled through the night. The flaming dragon went behind her, looking at the attacker with his angry black eyes. Yuumei turned to Hiei. "Go ahead, Hiei. Let me see your training has worked." Hiei smiled and nodded.

He closed his eyes and let the dragon tattoo rise from his skin, and suddenly, Kei, The Darkness Flame Dragon stood next to him, on his right. Ankoku was on Yuumei's left, growled ferociously. Yuumei turned to Hiei and smiled, before glancing down at their hands. They were being held tight by one another. Hiei nodded in return as she did, and in unison, launched their hands forward, sending strength upon strength to their dragons, to defeat the enemy.

As one.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

"Bitch!" Genkoru yelled as he launched his own arm forward, sending Juston forward. "How dare you defy me?" He clenched his fists, and Hiei turned towards Yuumei. The pupil was a burgundy red, very much like her eyes, and she was grunting, trying to continue to give power to Ankoku. She closed her eyes and began to kneel. She was getting weaker.

"Yuumei," Hiei growled, tightening his grasp on his hand. _**Concentrate on Kei!**_ Her mind snapped, and she glared at him out of the corner of her eye. Hiei turned to Kei and watched as the dragon continued to fight. Genkoru laughed as he continued to hold on to the power that held Yuumei to him.

"Good luck with that, if you still think that you can defeat me!" Genkoru yelled. "Juston, go for Ankoku, and kill Yuumei forever!" he chuckled, and Hiei watched as the red and black flaming dragon turned towards Ankoku.

"Kei, now!" Hiei yelled at the top of his lungs. He could feel the power draining from him. He kept his mind off of it. _Concentrate of serenity more than power, Hiei,_ Yuumei had told him. Now, he understood what she meant. He closed his eyes, and kept his mind calm.

He was still able to see. Kei had linked their minds when they first met even though Hiei didn't know it, but now, now it came easily and swiftly for him. He could see through the black beady eyes of Kei, and he could see how he protected Ankoku, whose black flames became paler and paler with each harding blow coming from Juston. _**Finish him off, Kei!**_ He yelled into his mind, not ordering, but telling him that it was the time, as friends. _**With pleasure...**_ Kei said in his mind, which made Hiei smiled.

He could see Kei's swift movements as he jumped and levitated towards Juston, and he bit into the red flaming dragon's neck, and suddenly, a screeching pain went through the air, and it wasn't Genkoru, like Hiei thought it was.

It was Yuumei.

Hiei opened his eyes and felt Yuumei's hand go limp in his own. "Yuumei," he whispered, but she didn't answer. Her eyes were closed and she fell to the ground. Another yell pierced the air, and Ankoku fell to the ground, and began to disappear. "No," he whispered to himself.

"Pitiful dragon," Genkoru said with a loud laugh, "think you can defeat me?" Ankoku's voice stuttered in the air, and he suddenly disappeared.

The tattoo on Yuumei's arm never returned.

"Bastard!" Hiei yelled into the night, glaring down at Genkoru.

"Oh, did you actually feel something for the fire demon, Hiei," Genkoru mocked, stepping forward. Hiei took up Yuumei's body, and stopped when he turned around. Kurama and Kuwabara were there, watching. Hiei had a plan, and was up in front of them in a moment's notice.

"Watch her, Kurama," Hiei snapped, before jumping back next to Kei. "Let's do this, Kei. Let us finish this," Hiei said, letting the power fill his Jagan and in his Dragon. Kei rumbling darkly next to him, and Hiei gently placed his hand on Kei's neck. He shook underneath his touch.

**Once and for all,** Kei's voice boomed throughout the night.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Hiei launched Kei forward, sending enough energy, no! He kept his mind off of the power. He kept on thinking on what to do when the time came, and how to do it. It wasn't working though. Kei kept on being pushed back, and Hiei kept on feeling pain in his chest, in his head, all over his body as the two dragons collided.

"You cannot defeat me, Fire Demon!" Genkoru mocked with a deep chuckle, and then a dark look overcame his eyes. His smile darkened and it showed a small pair of two fangs. "For I am the Prophet, once leader of the Five Prophets. I can see that you will die, along with your worthless dragon of yours!" He launched his hand forward once again in a swift and powerful movement and Juston came lunging forward. Hiei braced himself for the attack.

But none came.

Hiei opened his eyes and saw Kei biting down sharply and swiftly on Juston's neck. Both dragon and master cried and yelled out in pain. Soon, when Kei bit down hard enough, the flaming head of Juston came of, and then disappeared, along with the rest of the body. "No!" Genkoru yelled, clenching his arm. It was glowing red, pulsing red, black, and silver. "Damn you!" he yelled before disappearing as well.

**It is over,** Hiei heard Kei rumble. He wasn't listening, he was turned towards Yuumei, who was laid out on the ground in front of Kurama. He had his eyes closed, his hands on her forehead. Beads of sweat spilled down his forehead. When he looked up, his eyes were grave,

"I am sorry, Hiei," he said. Kuwabara just looked at her body, his eyes closed slightly, his eyes downcast. Hiei ignored his look of _sorrow_ and bent down next to her lifeless body. The Jagan eye was different; it had no red to it, not the silver pupil, no black iris. _Nothing_. It wasn't even there. He turned to his dragon, who levitated next to him. _Is she dead, Kei_? He asked. The dragon solemnly nodded.

**Ankoku died protecting her. Any dragon wishes that death, if not old age, we all only wish that our masters didn't die along with us. It is a curse placed upon the first dragon himself, and his owner. Her name was Yuumei, her dragon was named Ankoku.**

"What?" Hiei asked turning to his dragon. The giant beast rumbled next to him. "What are you saying?"

"This was Ankoku and Yuumei's doing. They wanted to die together, and, if any other dragon blessed another demon with its presence, the dragon and demon would have to pay the price," Kurama said looking up. "That is what she told me before she met you."

"Why though?" he asked. He turned to his dragon. "Is there not a way to bring her back?" The dragon rumbled beneath his breath and continued to look at Hiei with his black blazing eyes. He finally nodded, and nodded towards the shackles around her wrists.

**Ankoku will not come back. He served his time well, but, it is the shackles that bind her body to this world. Break the shackles, and she **_**should**_** come back.**

"Should?" Hiei asked, looking down at her body with doubts clouding his mind. "I thought the shackles were from the slave markets." That actually got Kei to chuckle a weak laugh, but it didn't last.

**Yes they were, but she got Ankoku **_**after**_** the slave trade, Hiei. She used her dragon magic to spell them, and every other dragon user alive. **That was enough for Hiei. What would it do anyway? In any case, he would have something to remember her by, if not. He nodded, and turned to her lifeless body, gently picking her up. Kei lent him his strength.

"Lets do this, Kei. Together, as dragon and master."


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Hiei took Yuumei's limp body and laid it out in the center of the clearing. Kei was right behind him, his black and purple flames levitating out behind him. "Are you ready, Kei?" Hiei asked. The dragon rumbled. Hiei bend down so his head was above hers, and both hands rested on her wrists. "So, how do I do this?" Kei absorbed himself into his body, and Hiei became a body of flames. Kurama and Kuwabara gasped, and took a couple steps backwards.

"What the hell is he doing?" Kuwabara yelled. Static from Hiei's flames made it impossible to hear. They took more steps backwards, and were now about 100 feet away from Hiei.

"He is trying to bring her back!" Kurama yelled back. Kuwabara yelled, now suddenly aware of what Hiei was trying to do. Hiei's burgundy eyes were closed tight with concentration, his Jagan eye was glowing a pale green for being used. Out of nowhere, everything stopped.

Stopped…

"Hiei!" Kurama yelled. He wasn't listening. Hiei was looking down into the wide burgundy eyes of the one he loved. Yuumei was awake, her eyes wide at the position he was in over he, but, they were there, on their own terms, looking at him.

Yuumei was alive.

The tattoo of Ankoku didn't appear to Hiei, but when Yuumei lifted her hand to cup his face in her hand, Hiei saw the black dragon curled inside the palm of her hand. He smiled slightly, and she did too. "Hiei…" her voice whispered. It was warm like it always had been, even when he first met her, even after he called her a Prophet. Hiei pushed himself up and sat next to her, a small smile curling at his lips. Yuumei was turned to him. "Thank you," she said. Kurama and Kuwabara came running up. Kuwabara laughed when he reached her.

"Well, at least we know now that Hiei has a girl!" he laughed. Kurama chuckled, and Yuumei merely glared at them, and tried to pull herself up into a sitting position. He found that he couldn't. Hiei grabbed her hand gently and pulled her up to stand next to him. Kuwabara got a good look of the two. Yuumei was about an inch shorter than the tip of Hiei's gravity-defying hair.

"Thank you," she whispered again as Hiei lent her his body to lean against. "For everything."


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Today was the day of Yuumei's concert. She was dressed in a black strapless dress with a white center, and a black shawl draped her shoulders. She replaced her headband from the white cloth to a black colored one with a large jewel in the center. "How do I look?" she asked before she was supposed to step on stage. Hiei kissed her forehead.

"Beautiful," he whispered. A man walked up and handed her a microphone, which she accepted with a nod of her head. The previous singer was walking off stage now, and the announcer was about to bring in Yuumei.

"And now, our newest addition to the competition, singing _Believe_, is Miss Yuumei!" her voice echoed and Yuumei took in a deep breath before stepping out into the stage with the same grace she had always been. Hiei smiled and walked to go sit in his seat.

The music started up form the orchestra in the pit below, beginning with soft hums from the stringed instruments and then the airy sound of a flute filled the room. Yuumei lifted the microphone up to her mouth, and let her voice fill the room.

_Children sleeping  
snow is softly falling.  
Dreams are calling  
like bells in the distance._

We were dreamers not so long ago.  
But one by one we all had to grow up.

When it seems the magic slipped away,  
we find it all again on Christmas day...

Believe in what your heart is saying,  
hear the melody that's playing.  
There's no time to waste,  
there's so much to celebrate.

Believe in what you feel inside,  
And give your dreams the wings to fly.  
You have everything you need,  
If you just believe.

Trains move quickly to their journey's end.  
Destinations are where we begin again.  
Ships go sailing far across the sea.  
Trust in starlight, to get where they need to be.

When it seems that we have lost our way,  
we find ourselves again on Christmas day...

Believe in what your heart is saying,  
hear the melody that's playing.  
There's no time to waste,  
there's so much to celebrate.

Believe in what you feel inside,  
And give your dreams the wings to fly.  
You have everything you need,  
If you just believe.

If you just believe.  
If you just believe.  
If you just believe.  
Just believe.  
Just believe.

As her voice closed, she opened her eyes and took a long and low bow as the crowd, including Hiei, Kurama, and Kuwabara stood up in applause. Slow, silent, happy tears fell down her face as she brought herself up and smiled. Her eyes grazed over Hiei, and she nodded a thank you to him before leaving the stage.

"That was amazing," Kurama said as he followed Hiei behind stage. Sweat poured down the back of her neck, and she smiled and nodded back.

"A couple wrong notes, which will actually hurt my score, but, thanks."

"_Yuumei's Believe_," the announcer called over the system. Hiei held her hand. "_35 out of 40 points from the judges. She is moving on_," Yuumei sighed at the good news, and Kuwabara threw his arms around her in a friendly hug.

"Now for day 2," she said.

_**The song "Believe" is originally done by Josh Groban, and placing the lyrics into the fanfiction chapter, I am not saying I own the song. All right go to Josh Groban and the JG incorporated. **_


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

The next day of the tournament was the fast moving piece, and Yuumei said her song wasn't the best she was allowed to pick. It had to be fast, jumpy, and the performer had to dance and sing the song. Yuumei said it had to be past a certain _beat_ and _tempo_, and when Hiei cocked his head at her words, she laughed and continued to place the velvet violet flowers into her midnight black hair. The two white strands at the side of her face were pulled into loops at the side of her face.

She wore a strapless violet dress that ended a little higher than her knees. It was a required dress code…strapless, short and skimpy as Yuumei had put it. Hiei merely watched as Kurama helped brush out her hair as she put on the finishing touches on her body. It was a corset styled top, with violet sides and a white center. A purple ribbon ran up her right leg and an identical on ran down her right arm. She looked stunning.

"How do I look?" Hiei sighed, she asking him every day that very same question, and he nodded with a slight smile. She nodded back and sat down on the chair, looking down into her palm where the dragon tattoo still held its position. Kurama put a comforting hand on her shoulder. Hiei glared at him. "I miss him," she whispered.

"We all do," Kurama whispered. Yuumei smiled, and when a knock came on the door, the makeup artist came in and went to work. They all watched as violet powder was placed on her eyelids, red lipstick and gloss liquefied her lips, and her skin was covered in oils to make her shine.

Finally, all finished, she stood up and walked out of the trailer, with Hiei and Kurama behind her. She was ready.

_I'm waiting for the night drifting away  
On the waves of my dreams to another day  
I'm standing on a hill and beyond the clouds  
The winds blowing still and catching my doubts  
I'm hunting on the night the slave to my dream an illustrated seen decends in the sleep   
We're playing for the fights emotional games  
I'm turning off my eyes and hiding my shame_

A neverending dream a dream of you I believe I recieved a sign of you  
tonight I want to hide my feelings too  
as you do and I want to be with you

_A neverending dream a dream of you I believe I recieved a sign of you   
tonight I want to hide my feelings too  
as you do and I want to be with you_

I'm waiting for the night drifting away on the waves of my dreams to another day  
I'm standing on a hill and beyond the clouds the wind's blowing still and catching my doubts  


_A neverending dream a dream of you I believe I recieved a sign of you   
tonight I want to hide my feelings too  
as you do and I want to be with you  
_

_A neverending dream a dream of you I believe I recieved a sign of you   
tonight I want to hide my feelings too  
as you do and I want to be with you_

_I'm watching all the flowers dying away  
inheated breath of life at the dawning day I'm waking up in spring and kissing your face the sweet imoving thing I feel your imbrace_

A neverending dream...

Yuumei finished out of breath and quickly left the stage, ignoring the calls. She shook off both Hiei and Kurama's gentle touch of congratulations and stood in front of the speaker. The announcer's voice filled the room and the crowd hushed. "_The judges score for Yuumei's Neverending Dream is rated a 29 out of 40. her place is undecided._" A small tear found its way down her face, and she was gone before even Hiei knew it.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

"I cannot believe I was so wrong…" Yuumei complained as the make-up artist finished up on her face. Her eyelids were painted black and glittering in the lights above the mirror and with the glitter that graced her face. Her lips were red from the lipstick, and her black midnight hair was brushed, combed, gelled, washed, everything, and it fell in beautiful waves down her back. She merely wore a shift for this part. "Last week. I have to make up for those points with an _exam_." She sneered at the last word.

"What do you have to do?" Kurama asked. Yuumei sighed. Hiei merely watched. Kurama was the ladies man, but he knew that Yuumei was his.

"I have to redo what I missed, but with a different song. This sucks!" She got up and pulled out a purple velvet strapless dress for her performance today. Purple ribbon fell down her right arm, and a couple flowers were connected to the dress itself.

"What are you singing?" Kurama asked. Yuumei turned to him before she stepped out of the trailer.

"No clue," she said, before leaving.

"_Yuumei will be performing her exam against the song _Holding out For a Hero_. If she passes, she will go one to the next round with the other singers._" Yuumei sighed, knowing what she had to do, but going over it to remind herself. Hiei put a hand on her shoulder, and the tension within her body was instantly gone. "You'll do fine," he said. She rested her body against his, and her head against his hand.

"Thanks," she kissed it before accepting the headset and stepping out onto the stage. "_Where have all the good men gone  
And where are all the gods?  
Where's the street-wise Hercules  
To fight the rising odds?  
Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?  
Late at night toss and turn and dream of what I need_

I need a hero  
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night  
He's gotta be strong  
And he's gotta be fast  
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight  
I need a hero  
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light  
He's gotta be sure  
And it's gotta be soon  
And he's gotta be larger than life

Somewhere after midnight  
In my wildest fantasy  
Somewhere just beyond my reach  
There's someone reaching back for me  
Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat  
It's gonna take a superman to sweep me off my feet

I need a hero  
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night  
He's gotta be strong  
And he's gotta be fast  
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight  
I need a hero  
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light  
He's gotta be sure  
And it's gotta be soon  
And he's gotta be larger than life

Up where the mountains meet the heavens above  
Out where the lightning splits the sea  
I would swear that there's someone somewhere  
Watching me

Through the wind and the chill and the rain  
And the storm and the flood  
I can feel his approach  
Like the fire in my blood

_I need a hero  
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night  
He's gotta be strong  
And he's gotta be fast  
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight  
I need a hero  
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light  
He's gotta be sure  
And it's gotta be soon  
And he's gotta be larger than life_

She came back off stage with a huge smile on her face. Hiei and Kurama knew she had done great, and even if she didn't by her own terms, she would be perfect to them. The announcer's voice boomed throughout the theater. "_The judges' scores: Yuumei's _Holding out For a Hero_ earned 39 out of 40. She is definitely going to the next round." _Yuumei's smile grew three times as large, and Kurama and Hiei grasped her in a tight hug.

"Next is the semi-finals," she said.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

Yuumei looked ready for the semi-finals. There were three others she had to face off, two males, and one other female. They were all good, and deserved this title of Champion, but, to Hiei's somewhat terms, she was the one who deserved it more than anyone in this world than Yuumei…for all that she had been through. But, this morning, she looked so frantic. "What is it Yuumei?" Kurama had asked, sitting cross-legged on her couch at the house. She was pacing the room, beads of sweat running down her face.

"Cris called in sick, he can't perform today!" she said, "He was supposed to be my duet today." Hiei motioned for her to sit on his lap, and she curled up in his chest. Kurama smiled slightly. She was even a little shorter, by about four inches, than Hiei himself. "Shit!" She yelled, and sobbed into Hiei's chest. Hiei sighed, and gently stroked her hair. She was already changed, all that needed done was her hair, but, she could keep it down. She was still just as beautiful.

They told her it had to be fantasy looking, and yet, Cris had assigned her a _fairy_ – Hiei sneered, recalling the word, form. He shuddered. It was like her fast performance dress, but a tad bit different. She as supposed to undergo the look of a rose, and an idea snapped into Hiei's head.

"Hey Kurama, you can sing, right?" Hiei asked, his eyes flashing a warning for him to refuse. Kurama caught is drift, and sighed. Yuumei pulled herself out of Hiei's chest and looked at Kurama, her eyes wide with confusion.

"You can?" She asked, obviously not believing her kin. Kurama sighed and nodded. She smiled, and got up. Kurama stood up too, and couldn't help but smile when he saw the height difference between the two. The tips of Hiei's hair went to his shoulders; her head went to about an inch or two from his shoulders. "Are you serious?"

"Go get ready and I'll work on the lyrics," he said with a sigh. Hiei smiled. He would enjoy watching this….

…………………………………………………………………

Yuumei had her hair dyed for this performance, to a fiery red. Only the two white strips that bordered her face stayed the same. It was a strapless fiery looking dress that flew out into a black underskirt. She also wore gloves, red ones that ended in flames at the middle of her upper arm. She also wore matching tights and no shoes.

Kurama, to Hiei's enjoyment, was similarly dressed. He didn't have on a dress, but pants in the same color and fashion, and a long sleeved top whose sleeves flared into bells and ended with the same pattern. Hiei smiled. Yuumei had her hair up in black spiked holders, as well as Kurama.

"Good luck," he whispered into her ear. She smiled a cheep smile, and watched as Hiei left for his seat. The music started up, hauntingly, and then, in some distant language Hiei had heard only in this song, she stepped out, singing, and gracefully moving her hands and moving her shoulder blades to flap the red fiery wings at her back. Soon, Hiei said with a smile, Kurama would come out, and he did.

_I dream of rain  
I dream of gardens in the desert sand  
I wake in vain  
I dream of love as time runs through my hand_

I dream of fire  
Those dreams that tie two hearts that will never die  
And near the flames  
The shadows play in the shape of the mans desire

This desert rose  
Whose shadow bears the secret promise  
This desert flower  
No sweet perfume that would torture you more than this

And now she turns  
This way she moves in the logic of all my dreams  
This fire burns  
I realize that nothings as it seems

I dream of rain  
I dream of gardens in the desert sand  
I wake in vain  
I dream of love as time runs through my hand

I dream of rain  
I lift my gaze to empty skies above  
I close my eyes  
The rare perfume is the sweet intoxication of love

I dream of rain  
I dream of gardens in the desert sand  
I wake in vain  
I dream of love as time runs through my hand

Sweet desert rose  
Whose shadow bears the secret promise  
This desert flower  
No sweet perfume that would torture you more than this

Sweet desert rose  
This memory of hidden hearts and souls  
This desert flower  
This rare perfurme is the sweet intoxication of love_"_

Kurama and Yuumei had danced around the stage, grasping each other's hands, and singing together. Hiei only smiled, knowing that she loved him.

He met her backstage again, and she and Kurama, along with Botan, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Koenma. They were all laughing. "_The judges scores_," that announcer's voice boomed. Hiei went over and gripped Yuumei's hand and smiled. She smiled back and kissed him on the forehead, "_A 50 out of 50, a perfect score! Yuumei and Shuichi Minamino's _Desert Rose_ will be moving on to the next round!_" Kurama and Yuumei hugged each other, and then so did Hiei and Yuumei.

"Thank you so much," she whispered into his ear.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

This was the final round for Yuumei, and the most challenging. She would have to perform three songs, one a ballad, or that is what she called it, the other a fast moving, hard dancing song, as she also called it, with the other performers, and one of their own choice. Yuumei was in complete anxiety, and in a nervous wreck. Now, there were only three people left, including her.

"What are you doing this time?" Hiei asked before the first showing. It would be the fast one, and she was already dressed for it. She wore a strapless top, the shirt starting with flames. The shirt bottomed with a triangle just above her waist. The skirt was a major spit skirt, the two red pieces of cloth being held by a gold chain across her hips. Her hair was straightened, and her ears were graced by golden loop earrings. A circlet went around her forehead and was topped with a red jewel. Two large red bell sleeves always covered her ruby encrusted hands. She seemed very uncomfortable in it, though.

"A Spanish song from the west," she said, "it's called _Love for Fun_, strange name, but yeah, it works."

"And that song goes along with this," Hiei motioned to the outfit she was wearing, the color of flames, along with the design pattern of fire, "enough for you to wear it?" She nodded, feeling a slight bit uncomfortable in it even more.

"Not my fault," she whispered.

"_Please welcome our finalist, Yuumei to perform _Love For Fun_, for you and our judges,_" the announcer called out. The music picked up, and Yuumei, after a quick shudder through her body, ran out, bouncing on stage.

_**So you think  
You got it all worked out  
And what you're searching for  
Isn't what you found  
Up in this world  
That's on the run  
A lot of hits but only  
A few number ones  
I'm making love for fun  
Are you looking for a holiday?  
I'm making love for fun  
Why would you do it  
Any other way?**_

I'm making good  
On everything I said  
So baby just relax  
And let me do my thing  
Up in my world  
You better run  
There's only room  
For the few who can come  
When you don't have  
A place to go  
When everything  
Feels the same  
I can change what  
You think you know  
Making love my way

That performance made 18 out of 20 points. The total will be out of 60. "Congrats, Yuumei," Koenma said as she stepped backstage. "You did well." She nodded her thanks and watched as the other performer came out and danced.

"Good luck," Botan said as the others let her by so she could go change for the next one.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

Yuumei was ready for the next one: the slow ballad. Kurama and Hiei wondered why her three outfits of the final round were all based on fire. Yuumei told them that the judges, for some strange reason, assigned each of them an element, to meet the _performance rate_ each had. Yuumei shrugged when they had asked what that meant.

Her next one, as Kurama had said, looked renaissance-like. It cut off the shoulder, and flared off into large orange bell sleeves, but the rest of the dress was mainly red. Around her hips was a yellow sash made to look like a belt. Her hair had been kept dyed red, had been heated to make slight waves to it. She looked so _royal_. She told them that her next piece was by one of her favorite singers called _Josh Groban_, or someone like that. A piano gave her the entrance she needed, and with microphone in hand, she stepped out into the brightened stage.

_**Who can say for certain?**_

_**Maybe you're still here**_

_**I feel you all around me**_

_**Your memory's so clear**_

_**Deep in the stillness**_

_**I can hear you speak**_

_**You're still an inspiration**_

_**Can it be that you are my forever love?**_

_**And you are watching over me from up above**_

_**Fly me up to where you are**_

_**Beyond the distant star**_

_**I wish upon tonight to see you smile**_

_**If only for a while, to know you're there**_

_**A breath away's not far**_

_**To where you are**_

_**Are you gently sleeping?**_

_**Here inside my dream**_

_**And isn't faith believing,**_

_**All power can't be seen**_

_**As my heart holds you**_

_**Just one beat away**_

_**I cherish all you gave me, every day**_

'_**Cause you are my forever love**_

_**Watching me from up above**_

_**And I believe that angels breathe**_

_**And that love will live on and never leave**_

_**Fly me up to where you are**_

_**Beyond the distant star**_

_**I wish upon tonight to see you smile**_

_**If only for a while, to know you're there**_

_**A breath away's not far**_

_**To where you are**_

_**I know you're there**_

_**A breath away's not far**_

_**To where you are**_

She finished with a bow and a huge smile of accomplishment on her face. The crowd burst into cheers and screamed for an encore. She didn't acknowledge it, though, but walked off stage. When Hiei and Kurama came to greet her, she threw her arms around Hiei's neck and kissed him. He returned it. "Thanks for all of your support, Hiei," she whispered when they pulled away. "Thank you."


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

The final day…

The final song…

The final dance…

Yuumei was on end, and everyone could see it. She would be facing off a man who had been receiving perfect scores or next to perfect scores the entire competition. She wore a strapless red top, nearly identical to the first one, but, didn't have the ripped burning flames at the top. This one was lined in golden lining. Red bands lined in gold wrapped around her arms, ending in a gauntlet at her hand. It was holding up a red silk backdrop that clashed beautiful against her pale skin. The skirt was red, except for the hem, where it had the design of fire on it. It clung to her form from the hips down, and the golden sash/ belt from her ballad was there, gracing her hips yet again.

"This one I will have to dance with him," she said, motioning for the man on the other side of the stage, "and sing it as well."

"Good luck," Hiei whispered, and kissed the crown of her neck. She smiled, and as the music kicked up, a tune Hiei knew now, she stepped out, and let her voice fill the room.

"_**Miracles happen, miracles happen  
You showed me faith is not blind  
I don't need wings to help me fly  
Miracles happen, miracles happen**_

_**I can't imagine living my life without you now  
Not ever having you around  
We found our way out  
(on you I can depend)  
Don't have to look back to realize how far we've come  
There are million reasons  
I'm looking up  
I don't want this to end**_

_**Nothing  
Nothing should ever bring you down  
Knowing what goes around will come around**_

_**You showed me faith is not blind  
I don't need wings to help me fly  
Miracles happen, once in a while  
When you believe  
(miracles happen)  
You showed me dreams come to life  
That taking a chance on us was right  
All things will come with a little time  
When You believe**_

_**There is no question we found the missing pieces  
Our picture is completed  
It's fallen into place  
(it's fallen into place)  
This is our moment, you and I are looking up  
Someone is watching over us  
Keeping me close  
Closer to you everyday**_

_**Nowhere  
Nowhere on earth I'd rather be  
No one can take this away from you and me**_

_**You showed me faith is not blind  
I don't need wings to help me fly  
Miracles happen, once in a while  
When you believe  
(miracles happen)  
You showed me dreams come to life  
That taking a chance on us was right  
All things will come with a little time  
When You believe**_

_**When you believe  
The soul is a shining light  
When you believe  
The heart has the will to fight  
You can do anything, don't be afraid  
We're gonna find our way**_

_**You showed me faith is not blind  
I don't need wings to help me fly  
Miracles happen, once in a while  
When you believe  
(miracles happen)  
You showed me dreams come to life  
That taking a chance on us was right  
All things will come with a little time  
When You believe"**_

She finished with a bow, but, the other man had a frown on his face. "I am ready for this, Hiei," she said. Her voice gave away that she was upset. "Any ending."

"You are always a winner with me, dear," she chuckled at his use of the word, and listened in.

"_Here we are…the winner, with a score of 57 our of 60,_" the announcer called out. The entire room was on end, quiet, waiting, "_is Yuumei! Congratulations."_ She went out back on stage, weak at her knees, and accepted the trophy. Silent tears fell down her face and only slightly screwed up the blush and congealer on her face. She took her bow and headed off stage, into Hiei's arms.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24 – Epilogue**

Two years passed, and Yuumei and Hiei had been so close, you would very rarely catch them not together. Yuumei performed once more in the competition, winning yet, another silver microphone on a stick, as she called it. She still performed out for the public, only for her own enjoyment and for the humans.

There were nights when she was curled up in Hiei's body that the fact that her dragon had died protecting her burned her mind, and she could still never get it out. But, even after two years, Ankoku never really left her side. He watched over her in the heavens, as Hiei would put it to comfort her.

His training with Kei, though, never ended, even after Ankoku's death. Yuumei still pushed him hard through the day, and soon, his son, Ankoku as they had named him, would be the next bearer of the Dragon of the Darkness Flame named Kei. But, another dragon beat him to it.

The names of the dragon and the holder, were alike, and Yuumei watched as her son and former dragon flew in the skies together, as one. She knew, in her heart, she had passed the flame through the correct fire demon.

Passing the Flame


	25. Dragon Rules

Dragon Rules – _Passing the Flame_

Meditate – In doing so, you are able to regain a lot of missing energy that you share with your dragon.

Release – When you release your dragon, it gives it time to move around and work on its own abilities. Also, gives your body time to regain some of the missing strength given to the dragon.

Train – Train your body to become physically powerful enough to contain and discharge your dragon.

Train – Train your mind to be able to speak fluently with your dragon, and so you will be emotionally powerful enough for battles later on ahead in life.

Train – Train with your dragon that way together you can both be physically and emotionally strong.

Pushing – Don't push your dragon and it won't push you back. Especially when it comes to energy.

Trust – Talk to your dragon whenever you get the chance. The more you confide in your dragon, the more trust is built, and the more it can trust you.

Listen – If your dragon senses something, or thinks something, listen to it and confide in it. The dragon may not always be correct, but it has been alive much longer than the holder.

Secrets - Don't hold secrets from your dragon, it is likely to hear your thoughts, and then it will betray you and leave your body forever.

Powers - Don't overuse the dragon's power. Exactly like a demon's energy the dragon's energy gets used up, and if you force your dragon to do something it doesn't want to, and it pushes the dragon over the edge, the dragon will die.


End file.
